


What Dreams May Come

by angelswatchingover



Category: Supernatural
Genre: 11x21 coda, Angelic Possession, Dean and Cas actually talk, Episode: s11e21 All In The Family, M/M, Pre-Slash, because someone needs to tell Cas he's important and loved, dream walking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-16
Updated: 2016-05-16
Packaged: 2018-06-08 20:25:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,161
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6872182
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/angelswatchingover/pseuds/angelswatchingover
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dean can't stand being in the same bunker with Lucifer because every time he looks at the archangel wearing his best friend's vessel he wants to scream. But Sam has a plan.</p>
<p>Episode 11x21 - All In the Family - coda</p>
            </blockquote>





	What Dreams May Come

Sam finds Dean in the garage under the Impala. The portable radio that he set up in here is blasting Korn because it’s loud and angry and about the only thing drowning out his own thoughts. Sam shuts off the music and Dean prepares himself mentally for a confrontation.

“The fuck, dude? I was listening to that!” Dean’s growls from under the car.

“We need to talk,” Sam says as nudges the side of Dean’s leg. “You’ve been hiding out in here for two days. What’s up?”

Dean sighs loud enough to piss off his brother and rolls his eyes even though he knows Sam can’t see it. He’s tempted to tell him to go away, but he knows Sam will just press on and he’d rather just get this touchy-feely crap over with. He rolls out from under the car on his creeper and looks up at Sam. 

“What’s up? Chuck fucked up my suspension, that’s what’s up. Seriously, God or not, I’ll stab him in the face if he keeps zapping my car around.”

Sam gives him a warning look, “You should probably take it easy with him. I mean he is… God. He’s kind of got a reputation for smiting people who give him shit.”

Dean gets up and slides the creeper to the side, walking over to put his tools carefully back in their drawers. “Yeah, well, he doesn’t act like a god. I mean, he’s a mess. You know this morning he used the last clean towels and left the wet ones on the floor. Isn’t cleanliness supposed to be close to godliness?”

Sam just shrugs. That’s one cliche that is far from the truth. Chuck never washes his dishes, leaves beard trimmings and toothpaste chunks in the sink, and helps himself to whatever he wants in the bunker. I mean who uses another guy’s robe without asking?

“I’ll tell you one thing,” Dean grumbles, pointing at Sam, “it’s a damn good thing he was willing to move Baby out here. What the hell was he thinking, putting her in that room? If I had to take her apart to move her, he would be one homeless deity!”

“I don’t know, Dean, we were just happy to not get thrown into the void by your creepy stalker.”

“Fine!” Dean surrenders, “he gets a pass for answering a prayer… _finally_.”

Sam shifts on his feet and Dean can tell he’s revving up to bring up whatever crap he came in here for. “So, Chuck and Lucifer are upstairs trying to figure out our next steps. We could kind of use your help.”

“Dude, do you listen to yourself? We’re bunking with God and the Devil himself and you think they need the help of two humans? And why the fuck does our life sound like the opening line of a joke?!”

Sam huffs a small laugh but presses on, “They do need us, Dean. And you are the one with the Darkness immunity idol, so yeah, you should probably get up there and help.”

Yeah, he knows that this crappy connection he’s got going on with Amara might just be the key to finding her, but it’s been two days of Lucifer hanging around the bunker and it’s driving him crazy. Every time he catches a glimpse of tan trench coat or blue eyes his heart does a flip before he remembers, that isn’t really Cas standing there. And now, he can’t even look at his brother. Turning away, he drags a hand down his face and finally admits, “I can’t do it, Sam.”

Sam, of course, misunderstands. “Dean, we aren’t going to let Amara do anything to you. We’ll find another way.”

Dean can’t help it. A defeated laugh bursts out of his chest and he shakes his head. “That’s not it, man. I can’t… sit across the table from Lucifer.” Dean feels a damn prickling behind his eyes and blinks it away before turning around to face his brother. “He’s sitting there wearing Cas’ skin like fucking Leatherface.”

“We’ll get Cas back, Dean. But… we need Lucifer to re-cage Amara.”

“C’mon, Sam. You really think that even if he does help us, once the Darkness is gone, he’s going to just give up that vessel? There’s pretty much one other option on earth and that’s you, which by the way isn’t happening either so don’t think about it!”

“We’ll find a way. We’ll trap him or exorcise him or… I don’t know… get Chuck to throw him back in the cage.” Sam argues desperately. “We just need him to do this first. It’s what Cas wanted.”

“What, and let her get her hands on Cas again? No way, Sam!”

Sam opens his mouth to argue that they now have Chuck and Amara won’t be able to take Cas and Lucifer again but Dean interrupts him.

“Don’t, Sam! You know she used Cas to get to me? You don’t think she’ll do it again? She was torturing him and somehow she figured out how to get into my head through him. We can’t let her get near him again.”

“We won’t.”

“And he’s sitting right there. Right across the table from me and I can’t even talk to him. I look at Lucifer and… fuck! I know Cas is in there but Lucifer won’t let him take the wheel and I don’t even know if he’s OK. I mean, Crowley said - ” Dean’s voice breaks and, dammit, he feels a tear wet his cheek. But he coughs and continues, “Crowley said he’s too far gone and I don’t even know what that means. We may never get him back and I can’t sit across the room from the asshole who’s holding him prisoner.”

“What if there was a way to talk to him?”

“We tried that, Sam. Crowley said he barely even acknowledged him.”

“Well, yeah, Dean, that’s Crowley. He and Cas aren’t exactly besties.”

“We’re kind of out of other options, here. Cas’ family all try to kill him every time they get near him so who else are we going to get to jump his bones?”

“I was actually thinking… you.”

Dean squints at him, “Dude, that’s not what I meant when I said jump his bones.”

Sam just barely stops himself from rolling his eyes. “Yeah, save that for _after_ Lucifer exits the building at least.”

“You’re hilarious,” Dean grouses. “Besides, I already asked Chuck to expel Lucifer. He won’t.”

Sam sighs, “Yeah, I know.”

“Kept going on about how this was Castiel’s choice and he has free will and he won’t take that away. How the fuck did we end up Air BnB-ing the most useless god in the universe?”

Sam just makes a bitch face because he’s still breaking out of his Chuck fangirl phase.

Dean grabs a beer off of his tool bench and turns back to Sam, “You know he said he’s actually proud of Cas? Proud! Of Cas for understanding free will and using it. A lot of good that did him. Now he’s trapped in there with the damn devil.”

“Look, Dean, Lucifer isn’t going anywhere. He knows that if Amara wins he loses too. We all do. And once we deal with the Darkness, we force him out, with or without Cas’ permission. I’ve been thinking about this, and I think if you could talk to him, he might just be able to expel Lucifer. He overcame Lucifer briefly before. We just need to get you in his head, let him know what’s going on out here.”

Well, wouldn’t that be nice? Dean has tried praying, but he doesn’t even know if the prayers are getting through. Lucifer is an archangel and Cas is just a beat up soldier with clipped wings. 

“Sam, Lucifer’s a pretty strong firewall. How do you suggest we get past him?”

Sam suddenly looks excited, and Dean knows that face. Sam has found something. “I’ve got an idea. I found this spell. It’s for temporarily incapacitating an angel by putting them to sleep. I figure we set up another trap and ward it with Rowena’s spell, summon Lucifer and put him to sleep then you get in with African Dream Root.”

Dean just stares at him for a moment. “Three layers of spells, what could possibly go wrong?”

“Hey, I’m just saying, if you want to talk to Cas, this is how we do it.”

Dean chuckles and tips his head back to take a swig of beer, “What the hell, right? Go big or go home.”

**********

The flash of blue flames that spurt from the spell bowl briefly blind Dean. He blinks a few times before he realizes it actually worked. Lucifer is standing in the middle of the trap they have drawn in dungeon looking confused before Dean lights the holy fire and his expression turns to pissed.

“Uh, Dean-o, you know I was right upstairs, right? Is this how you treat all your house guests?”

“Just assholes holding my friends ransom.”

Lucifer tilts his head and shrugs. “I’m doing no such thing,” he says feigning innocence. “Castiel gave up his vessel freely. I guess we can see who he trusts more. He obviously thought you couldn’t get the job done. Or maybe he just doesn’t like being replaced by your new girlfriend.” 

“Well I guess we’ll find out,” Dean growls, “‘cause you’re here until I get to talk to him.”

“Do you really think this is a wise plan? This little trap looks an awful lot like the one I walked out of before. Maybe learn some new tricks if you want to beat an archangel.”

“I’ve taken down you dicks before. Did you happen to notice the lack of wings around these days?”

Lucifer’s expression hardens, “I’m going to destroy you, Dean, and enjoy every moment. I think I’ll skin you alive… slowly. My co-pilot should enjoy that. I’ll be sure to make him watch every last second of the torture.”

Dean gives Lucifer a nonchalant shrug, “You think being filleted by you scares me? I spent 30 years being your minion’s chew toy; even learned a few tricks myself.”

“So I hear,” Lucifer drawls slowly as his expression morphs into a sneer and Dean can’t see his friend in that face at all. This is 100% pure satan standing in front of him. He tilts his head and crosses his arms, examining Dean, “You were good, could have been great. You know, sometimes I wonder if I wasn’t assigned the wrong brother’s vessel. We could have had a wonderful time together. You and I are much alike, Dean.”

Dean swallows down the bile threatening to rise in his throat. “I’m nothing like you.”

“Are you so sure about that? Both of us were Daddy’s favorites… until the new baby came along. Then we both became nothing but tools to protect the precious-little-darlings. The only difference is that I,” Lucifer says as he points to his own chest and shrugs, “have a mind of my own and refused to be just some overpowered babysitter. You, on the other hand, took the opposite route. More of a submissive, I guess. Come to think of it, you’d look positively delicious in a collar and cuffs.” 

The devil then takes his time to rake his eyes from Dean’s feet to his head and back down, smiling lasciviously as he goes. The whole thing makes Dean want to forget this whole business and take a long shower in bleach. 

“You and I might have made beautiful music together. I was the head choir boy, you know.”

“Shut up before I send you back to your Auntie Amara.”

Lucifer gives him a knowing look, “You and I both know you aren’t going to send this beautiful bod back to her. After all, your BFF is still kicking around in here… I think. Hard to tell, he’s been pretty quiet lately. Maybe he decided he’s better off this way.” God, Dean hates this smarmy dick. 

When Dean hesitates to respond, Lucifer pounces on his silence. “So, you gonna tell me what this little bootie call is all about?”

Right on time, Sam, who had been silently preparing the blood sigil on the wall behind Lucifer, slams his hand onto it and the archangel slumps into a boneless pile on the floor. He quickly yanks a hair out of his head, tosses it into the cup, and hands it to Dean, who downs the potion in one chug. Sam gives him an apologetic look before hitting him in the jaw with a powerful right hook.

************

Dean wakes up in his own bed, oddly uncomfortable on the usually heavenly memory foam. That’s his first indication something is off. His next hint comes as he blinks his eyes open and sees Cas’ trenchcoat draped over the chair next to his bed. Why would Cas be leaving his coat in Dean’s bedroom? Focus, he thinks, as his brain boots up and he puts together what is going on. Right. He’s in the bunker in Cas’ dream. 

He bolts up out of the bed knowing that he needs to find Cas now. There’s a good chance that they aren’t the only ones in this dream. Lucifer is squatting in Cas’ vessel and definitely won’t want Dean talking to his prisoner. 

He takes off down the hallway, trying to think of where Cas might be in the bunker. He seemed to enjoy the showers when he was human so the living areas are the first he checks, poking his head into every room and scanning silently to avoid alerting Lucifer to his location. But all of the bedrooms and bathrooms are empty.

As he nears the end of the hall he hears something, it almost sounds like TV static and it becomes louder as he approaches the kitchen. Rounding the corner, there, in the kitchen is Cas, sitting at the table, looking so much at home Dean’s heart skips a beat at the sight. It’s exactly what he has always wanted for his friend. Cas is looking tired with his chin held up in his cupped hand. His trenchcoat and suit jacket are off as is his tie. His sleeves are rolled up and his shirt unbuttoned at the top. He looks… at home. And he is watching a little portable TV with rabbit ears sticking out at odd angles.

Dean can’t help himself, he crosses the kitchen in three strides and yanks Castiel into his arms, holding the angel in a tight hug as his eyes prickle. Cas is loose, a rag doll against his chest and Dean tries to ignore the pang of pain he feels at the distinct lack of arms wrapped around him. But still, Cas is here, and he is alive, and Dean can talk to him for the first time in months. He breathes a relieved sigh into his friend’s neck.

After a moment, Dean pulls back, but holds Cas close by the shoulders, forcing his focus.

“Cas, man, are you OK?”

Cas looks confused and slowly answers, “Yes, I… Dean, how are you here?”

“Nice to see you too,” Dean chuckles, too happy that Cas is OK to be angry at his question.

“I’m sorry, Dean, I… didn’t expect you.”

“Well, you’ve invaded a few of my dreams, thought it was time I returned the favor.”

Cas looks around the kitchen like he is surprised to find himself there. “I’m dreaming?”

Dean shakes his head and let’s Cas’ shoulders go. “Not exactly, no. You’re stuck inside your vessel, which is being controlled by Lucifer. We’ve got him temporarily out of the day by putting him to sleep.”

Cas blinks and his expression immediately changes from confused to the wrathful angel Dean knows so well. “Then it’s not safe for you to be here. Go, Dean. Lucifer is too powerful for you to fight.”

“No way, I’m not leaving yet. We need to talk first.”

Cas nods, “Of course, Dean, but not here. He can find us here.”

“Hey, it’s your dream, man,” Dean shrugs. “You got somewhere safe we can go?”

Cas looks uncomfortable and looks away from Dean, “Yes, but…”

“Dude, c’mon. What, is your happy place a strip club or something?”

“It’s...” Cas sighs and puts a hand on Dean’s shoulder and in a second they are in another room. “Here. I have warded this room against Lucifer. It’s the one place I can… feel your prayers.”

Dean looks around, “My bedroom? You’ve been hanging out in _my_ room?”

“Not usually, no. It’s very difficult being in here and unable to come when you call. I spend most of my time in the kitchen. I mostly watch TV.”

“Dude, you’ve got to put down the remote and get back in the game. There’s a lot going on that we need to talk about.”

Castiel moves over to the chair where is coat is and sits while Dean takes a seat on the bed across from him, knees a few inches from each other as Cas focuses all of his attention on Dean.

“Amara… she’s killing people and she… wants to, I don’t know, consume me or something? She said she wants me to be a part of her. And, fuck, Cas, it scares me because when she’s around me it’s what I want, like there is this pull and it would be so easy to just say yes and let go.”

“Dean,” Cas positively growls, leaning forward, “you can not say yes to her.”

“Why not, man? That’s what you did.” Dan answers, suddenly angry at everything.

“I didn’t just give myself up for nothing. It was the only way to defeat the Darkness, to save you and Sam. I couldn’t do anything on my own. My powers are nothing against her, I couldn’t unite my family against her, but the one thing I did possess that could be useful was my vessel.”

“Same, Cas. I’m just a man. I tried killing her… a few times and nothing works. But I say yes and maybe I can save Sam, you, everyone. Seems like a small price to pay, right?”

Cas stares at him for a moment, before letting out a defeated breath and burying his face in his hands. 

“Please don’t, Dean,” he says quietly but with utter sincerity before looking back up at Dean, who is struck so hard by the pain in those blue eyes that he has to hold back a gasp. “I freed Lucifer -- _Lucifer_ \-- just to give you a chance to defeat her. If you say yes, she might let the world survive, but without you…” he trails off visibly thinking about what to say next. 

“What the hell does it matter? If it’s not Amara, it’s Lucifer! Either way, we’ve let loose monsters who want to destroy everything.”

Cas shakes his head, “No, you don’t understand. I have a plan. Lucifer is the only one strong enough to defeat Amara. Once he defeats her, I can take control of this vessel and send us back to the cage.”

Dean’s eyebrows raise, “Are you kidding me right now? You want to spend eternity in the cage with your pissed off psychotic brother? No! I let Sam do that and it almost killed me. I’m not… I can’t do that again.”

“It’s for the best. Both Lucifer and I will be in a place where we can no longer do any harm.”

Dean bolts off the bed, furious and Castiel flinches back in his seat, “What the hell are you talking about?!”

Cas breaks eye contact, stares down as his hands folded in his lap. “Dean, There is something wrong with me. I’m… _defective_ somehow. No matter what I do to help, it backfires. I told you once that I was cursed and recent history has done nothing to dispel that assertion. My family was right to condemn me. I was prideful, Dean. When I rescued you from hell, I felt righteous, empowered and I believed I was anointed to guide and support you. But I was wrong. I have done nothing but harm. I destroyed my family and they rightfully despise me for it. I will not continue to fail you too. I don’t want to live long enough to see the same loathing in your eyes that I see in theirs.”

All of the anger drains out of Dean and leaves only a desperation to get through to Cas. He sits back down across from his friend and dips his head until he forces Cas to make eye contact with him. 

“Cas, listed to me, I will never see you that way. Everything you’ve done -- _everything_ \-- has been to help--” he cuts himself off before he can say me because it’s just too much. “And I thought we had already established that your family are dicks. No, you know what? They aren’t your family! Me and Sam, we’re your family and we need you -- not to jump in front of bullets, just… just ‘cause you’re family, man. Everything’s shit right now and…” Dean swallows hard as he holds back the tears that threaten to spill down his cheeks. He takes a chance and reaches out, grabbing Cas’ hands in his own watching as the angel’s eyes widen. “and I really could use my best friend back, y’ know?” 

Castiel blinks slowly a few times, studying Dean’s face for longer than he is comfortable with. He wants to look away from the raw intensity of his friend’s stare but he forces himself to hold his eyes, willing Cas to believe him and understand how much he is cared for.

Cas tilts his head and looks at him with those sad eyes that hold a thousand heartbreaking stories and says, “I’m so sorry, Dean. I won’t leave you.”

A relieved breath bursts out of Dean’s chest and he surprises even himself as he yanks on Cas’ hands and pulls the shocked angel into a hug. This time, though, he heart nearly bursts with relief as he feels strong arms wrap around him as Cas hugs him back almost desperately. He breathes a soft, “Thank you,” into the angel’s neck and feels Cas’ chin tuck into his shoulder and it feels more perfect than he had ever even imagined and he kind of wishes he could just stay here forever but he knows there’s one more thing he needs to say and he just wants to hold off a few moments more.

Finally, he eases back from the hug, and drags a hand through his hair and he knows Cas can tell he’s nervous. “Listen, Cas, there’s something else you need to know.”

Cas gives him a worried squint, “What is it, Dean? Is Sam OK?”

“Yeah, Sam’s fine. Well, he’s not exactly thrilled to be bunking with Lucifer, but--”

“Lucifer’s in the bunker with you? Then you and Sam are in danger!” Cas growls urgently.

Dean puts his hands up to calm Cas, “Yeah, he’s here, but we’re safe. ‘Cause… your dad’s back and he’s with us too.”

“My…” Cas stops, mouth agape.

Dean nods slowly, “And, Cas, it’s Chuck.”

“Chuck,” he repeats slowly.

“Yeah,” Dean answers cautiously and watches as Cas processes this new information.

“The whole time? He… Dean, I stood next to my Father as one of his archangels killed me. He let you go through hell and he let Sam suffer in the cage!” 

Dean shrugs, “Said he was going for the hands off approach to let humans grow up or something.”

Cas shoots out of his chair and suddenly everything is black. No, not black, just dark. Dean opens his eyes and he’s awake, slumped in a chair in the dungeon lit only by holy fire with Sam standing nearby watching him nervously. Dean scans his eyes past the ring of fire and watches as Castiel (or Lucifer?) suddenly stands up and meets his eyes. And in a second he knows that Cas has taken over the vessel. This isn’t Lucifer staring at him but Castiel, seraph of the Lord, full of all the wrath and righteousness he remembers from those early days before he was just his friend, Cas. 

“Dean,” he growls, “let me out of this circle. My Father has some explaining to do!”

Sam gives him a worried look but Dean just smiles. His friend is back, in control of Lucifer, and finally getting to face the deadbeat dad who hurt him. 

“Sure thing, but Cas,” he says as he stands up and halts at the edge of the circle, looking straight into his eyes, “give ‘em hell, but, uh, don’t get yourself killed. You kind of made me a promise back there.”

Cas nods and Dean can see the slight mischievous uptick at the corner of his mouth and he smiles back at his friend while he douses the circle. This is going to be so much fun.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading. I just really need a conversation between Dean and Cas because after years of build up of Cas' depression and six straight episodes of Dean's protective angsting over Cas being possessed, the only resolution that makes any storytelling sense is for Dean to get through to Cas by letting him know how much he cares (and I doubt SPN will do this conversation justice).
> 
> Please let me know your thoughts and you can also find me on Tumblr at [AngelsWatchingOver.Tumblr.com](http://angelswatchingover.tumblr.com/)


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